Bill’s House Sydney by Tony Owen Partners

Bill’s House is a new completed residential project designed by Tony Owen Partners located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia for a client in Sydney’s inner west.

The client’s brief was to create a unique and iconic home. The house has been designed as a series of blocks which modulate the scale and minimize the impact of the house to the surrounding areas. The house design was influenced by the materials and forms of Mediterranean Architecture. The curved sail-like white shell forms reflect the fishing boats from the Greek Islands. The large central staircase concept came from the James Bond movie ‘Never Say Never Again’.

The house has an ‘L-shaped’ configuration to maximize the solar aspect for the living spaces. There is also a central courtyard to the west which allows for light to penetrate the middle of the house and also serves to break up the massing of the facade.

A feature of the house is the large central staircase element. The original idea for this stair came from the James Bond movie ‘Never Say Never Again’. This stair adjoins the central courtyard so it is always bathed in light. The stair connects the various level changes in a single fluid sculptural element in dark polished concrete.

The kitchen and living areas of the house finally dissolve into a large outdoor room for entertaining. This space contains a glass swimming pool with a pool bar and an a minimalist outdoor seating enclosure. This structure has more the feel of a lounge area or bar with reclining daybeds and fabric clad structures. The use of mirrors and chandeliers enhances the luxurious lounge feel. The rear space also contains a terraced market garden which enhances the European character of the space. The living room and outdoor areas are connected by an indoor/outdoor fireplace.